It was soon after Test Baker that the radioactive fission products were absorbed readily by rusty, porous and scaly surfaces loose paint, marine growths and algae. This fact was demonstrated forcibly on the lightly contaminated target APA's, which showed considerable radiation intensities on the outer shell in the vicinity of the waterline. The radioactive materials were lodged almost entirely in the marine growth and rust adhering to the shell. These vessels using ordinary paddle type bottom scrapers removed as much as practicable of the growth in the waterline area and thereby reduced considerably the amount of activity in that vicinity. They next proceeded outside the lagoon and steamed at high speed for a period of about 24 hours. The erosion of the water incident to this steaming resulted in a further reduction by about fifty percent. Continued streaming did not result in additional reduction of activity, however. Upon return to port, GENEVA wire-dragged the entire bottom using hogging lines and walking them down the length of the ship. This operation resulted in reducing the radiation levels inside the ship in the vicinity of the shell to tolerance limits for continuous occupancy. (Author)

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